Clover Grill

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Quirky N.O. grill perfect for 'other' Mardi Gras Here in the Quarter, where people start the day with a 20-ounce beer, the true survivors never sleep. The best moments here are the grittiest ones, the ones that never close-- displaying a sort of insomniac stubbornness expected in this hung-over town. Recently, the Well-Fed Reporter and The Well-Fed Companion took a day-trip to the Big Easy, doing some advance work for Mardi Gras. We wanted to find a place that would suit folks from Mobile, who might visit the "other" Mardi Gras. We stumbled upon a small, bustling, over-the-top diner right down the road from the strip of bars and clubs on Bourbon Street: The Clover Grill, established in 1939, as far as anyone could remember. The atmosphere attracted us, and the good, hot food we enjoyed will bring us back to the Clover on our next trip over. The corner hangout is happy place for Mardi Gras revelers, as loud and swinging as Carnival itself. No one holds back here. The white-washed plaster outside the diner on the corner of Bourbon and Dumaine is a stark contrast to the boisterous atmosphere that greeted us when we opened the brightly painted, glass-paneled doors. A look inside Clover Grill The pink tiles of the restaurant complement the 11 (of course it couldn't be 12 ) red stools along the diner's counter. On the other side of this close, squeeze-by-excuse-me establishment, larger groups can sit at one of the four tables. The tables are aligned by big windows - perfect vantage points for watching Mardi Gras crowds wander by, said, then manager Tim Murphy. The Well-Fed Reporter and Companion marveled at the two, muted televisions on either end of the joint - one with the Gladys Knight interview special and another with a Garth Brooks video. On the juke box, jammed into the far corner of the small place, high-powered dance tunes gave the energetic waiters an excuse to shake a move on the way to take our order. It's the sort of place where locals come in to chat with one another or with the extroverted wait staff. Here, we found folks in berets and baseball caps, wearing anything from black leather to khakis. And we noticed most folks take heed of the sign near the door, "Be Nice or Leave." For those who doubt the sassy nature of this diner, another sign proclaims: "Everyone brings happiness into this business. Some when they come in. Others when they leave." Accustomed as we are to straight-forward menus in restaurants around Mobile and Baldwin counties, it took us a while to get used to the Clover's menu--that reads like a Letterman monologue. Just reading the menu at the Clover is a hilarious adventure through the owners' sense of humor. In fact, the practice of swiping the laugh-a-minute menus became so popular that they've finally started printing take-home copies for patrons. Here are a few gems, straight from the (photocopied ) menu we carted back to Mobile: "If you're not served in 5 minutes, it may be another 5. Relax. This isn't New York City." "Dancing in the aisles only. Please keep off the tables." "We're here to serve people and make people feel they are prettier than they really are." And, true to its Bourbon Street location, the menu includes this admonition: "No strange tricks at tables, please. Please keep hands on top of the table. No talking to yourself." Once we laughed our way through the menu, a charming waiter - with the "uniform" T-shirt "We love to fry and it shows" - took our order. This is the kind of place for folks who need a good solid meal for a reasonable price. Check your calorie counters at the door. As Murphy, the manager, said: "The people who come in, they may go out to the fancy restaurants, but they'll eat their basic meals here." Clover Omelet's, and that's the way they spell it, were first concocted "in a trailer park in Chalmette, Louisiana, " the menu boasts. The three-egg creations kept the WFR happy during the last visit to the Clover Grill. A Plain Jane Omelet goes for $3.99. They'll